Lorcan and Lysander: Unique but United
by Pastorella
Summary: A/N: I felt that Luna would have been reluctant to give up her name, so I made it double barrel
1. Chapter 1: Hello, Hogwarts

Lorcan Newt Scamander-Lovegood, and his identical twin, Lysander Xenophilius Scamander-Lovegood, had long looked forward to their first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and now it had finally arrived. As the train trundled out of London, the two paced up and down the corridor, looking for a compartment. Although only eleven, both were wise beyond their years, and very tall, though despite their height their bleached blond hair, when loose, reached to just above their waists. Now both had leather bows in their hair, keeping their locks in high ponytails, tailored jackets and white blouses, Lorcan wore a black bootlace tie, and Lysander a red bow tie. Their odd appearance was perhaps the reason for their struggle to find a carriage, though perhaps every compartment really was 'full'. Finally, they found a compartment, with just two others, both their age, sitting nervously inside it.  
'Room for two more?'  
'I-I suppose' said the pale little girl in the corner, combing her mousy brown curls with her fingers.  
The boy, who was staring out the window, nonchalantly, nodded, and turned to look at the boys.  
'Hi. I'm Raphael Balewa.' he had short, dark dreadlocks, stuck up loosely from his head, and chocolate brown eyes and skin. 'You are?'  
'Lorcan'  
'Lysander'. The two often spoke over each other.  
'Sorry,' laughed Lorcan, 'I'm Lorcan, and he's-'  
'Lysander' his twin interrupted.  
'Here, come sit down', Raphael patted the two seats on either side of him.  
'Thanks', the boys said together, sitting down primly.  
The train conversation traditionally concerned houses, and after the house system was explained to Raphael, who was Muggle-born, he, Lysander and Lorcan all pinned their cards firmly to the Ravenclaw mast, while the girl opted for Gryffindor. Lorcan secretly doubted she was Gryffindor material, but did not voice his scepticism.  
Soon, the food trolley rolled by. Lorcan loved chocolate frogs, especially due to the possibility of getting the card for his great-granddad, and middle-namesake. He got out two sickles, and bought five frogs, with just a few knuts change. Lysander, meanwhile bought a box of Every Flavours, and Raphael bought a Cauldron Cake, amusing the man pushing the trolley by offering a whole galleon for the single sweet. The girl, who was called Milly Munroe, purchased a handful of Liquorice Wands.  
'We better change now', Raphael said.  
The others nodded, and Milly rushed to the bathroom to change alone.  
Now in their robes, Lorcan and Lysander blended in far more naturally, though their long hair still marked them out as somewhat eccentric looking. Finally, the train pulled in at Hogsmeade Station, and the new students filed out of their compartments and through the doors. They heard a booming voice crying 'Firs' years, firs' years, into the boats kids!'. Of course, this was Hagrid, well-known Hogwarts game-keeper, there since long before the Second War, now with streaks of grey in his huge beard, but still with his famous warm eyes and huge size. He ushered the children into small, enchanted rowing boats. Lorcan, Lysander, Raphael and Milly clambered into one boat, and as it drifted away, they chattered happily about the castle, and Lorcan sucked on the webbed foot of his final chocolate frog.  
They hit the bank with a soft 'boomf', as they got out the boat rocked worryingly, and scrambled through the mud, trying hard to keep their fresh robes immaculately clean. Soon, they were stood in the waiting room just off the Great Hall, ghosts floating dreamily over their heads, the buzz of the other years coming through the walls. A high pitched cough rang through the quiet. They looked around, and saw, in one corner, a little man on a stool, with round glasses. 'Hello, welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor Flitwick, I will be taking you for Charms lessons. The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly, you will each be allocated a house, for which you will earn points, or lose points, depending on your behaviour and effort in your lessons. The houses are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, each has produced many great and good witches and wizards, and wherever you are placed, I'm sure each of you will excel. The sorting will now start, please file into the hall.'  
Lorcan pushed through the crowd, and burst into the beautiful hall. Candles bobbed near the enchanted ceiling, looking currently somewhat stormy, pinpricked with stars. Lysander jostled to stand behind him, and he too gazed at the ceiling. They looked down, and saw Flitwick, pushing to get through, they stood to one side politely. He pulled his stool behind him, and positioned it carefully next to another, upon which, Lysander noted, was perched the legendary Sorting Hat. The professor stood on his stool, and brandished a long scroll of parchment.  
'Alderman, Christine', he squeaked, and an imperious looking girl with grey eyes and black curls.  
'Slytherin', croaked the hat, and her new house erupted with cheers. Raphael went to Ravenclaw, and the twins clapped loudly.  
'Brackbury, Robert', was another Slytherin, but both 'Callow, Jess', and 'Doberman, Finn', were Hufflepuffs.  
Gryffindor had 'Engleman, Joey', while twins Emma and Timothy Gillard went to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw respectively.  
Lorcan suddenly worried he might be separated from Lysander, leaving him totally distracted until his name was called.  
'Scamander-Lovegood, Lorcan' he scuttled over to the stool, and Flitwick lowered the hat down over his eyes.  
'Much like your mother, mmm... Ah, what's this? A desire to set yourself apart from your brother, Slytherin? No, not quite sly enough, you lack the ruthless spirit... Ah... Love of learning, pronounced individuality, it has to be...'  
'Ravenclaw!'


	2. Chapter 2: Friend of the Centaurs

As Lorcan lay in bed that night, stomach filled with humbugs, roast lamb and jelly, he was not joyful, as such, but a calmer, quieter, more pensive sort of happy. He and Lysander were in the house they had wanted, the other boy lay snoring on the bed next to him, he had begun to make a friend, Raphael lay silently across the room from him, and the Ravenclaw tower was already beginning to feel like home. Of course, it was a lot like home, the tall tower with it's elegant silver benches, covered in beautifully embroidered cushions, and walls of ancient books and paintings, had many similarities to the turret-topped, artefact-filled building he had grown up in. Lorcan rarely slept well, often preoccupied with a good book or deep question, but tonight, he drifted off quickly.

Though both boys were fiercely intelligent, there was something different about Lorcan's form of intelligence. When he wanted to, he could be just as loud and confident as his brother, but he also had it in him to be more contemplative and philosophical, in contrast to Lysander's stark logic and scientific scrutiny. Though both had blue eyes, Lysander's were almost always glittering with laughter, while Lorcan's were more dreamy. It was often said that Lorcan was more like his mother, and Lysander his father. This showed more than ever at Hogwarts, while Lysander flew head first in to every aspect of school life, including a few bludgers (he soon proved a great chaser), Lorcan sat and read in the common room, quietly, and without ever mentioning it or showing off, he was top in almost every subject but flying and Herbology, in both of which his brother excelled. Though Lysander was a proud boy, he was never bitter or jealous, knowing he had his talents, and was, undeniably, far more popular than his brother. This, however, was the way it had always been, Lysander had a wide ranging but often distant group of friends, while Lorcan poured his energy into just one or two very close friends. At Hogwarts, this special friend would prove to be Raphael, who introduced Lorcan to Muggle music, especially David Bowie, about whom Lorcan obsessed.

A few weeks passed by, soon Raphael and Lorcan were almost inseperable, and regularly snuck to the edge of the grounds to listen to Raphael's 'eyepod', a Muggle device which played music, but which wouldn't work inside Hogwarts. On this particular sunny day, they lay on the line Raphael had drawn with a stick when they first came, the edge of the grounds, and of the charm. By putting the device just outside the grounds, but keeping themselves inside, they could listen to the music without breaking school rules. Just... bending them. They were listening to an old Beatles song; 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds', which Raphael was particularly fond of. Suddenly though, Raphael sat up, and the earbud was pulled out of Lorcan's ear.

'What's wrong? he asked

'Shh...' Raphael whispered back. 'Someone's coming.'

They tugged the eyepod into the grounds, and the music stopped. But the intruder wasn't coming from outside the grounds. The pair turned sharply. Coming over the horizon was the unmistakably gigantic silhouette of the Hogwarts gamekeeper.

'Wha' you up to?' called the booming voice. ''oo's there?'

The boys stood up, and ran. 'Into the woods', Raphael half-shouted, 'he won't find us in there'.

'No! We've got to seperate. You run back towards the castle, I'll go through the woods and meet you at the lake.' Raphael nodded, and dashed off in the direction of the Black Lake.

Lorcan burst into the woods, breaking a lattice of twigs and roots that lay on the ground. Though clumsy on a broom, on solid ground he was agile enough to weave in and out of the majestic tree trunks and spindly saplings of the Forbidden Forest. At last, he found himself in a tiny clearing. He collapsed on his knees, thinking for all the world he was alone, revelling in his assumed solitude.

Nearby, however, a great king lay dying. Magorian was an elegant old centaur, with a long beard that once matched his chestnut coat, but was now a dusty grey. He had led the herd for many years, but now, he had met his end, alone on a stargazing expedition. Though he had called out, he was too far away now for his clan to hear, and he had been left to stay there through the long night. With the last of his strength, he whined a final, pitiful whine. Lorcan stood up, and moved towards the place that the noise had come frome. Through the trees, he could see the hoofed end of a deep brown leg. He pushed a branch out of the way, and stepped out of the clearing. The sight with which he was confronted was one of both great pity, and great sadness. A fallen warrior, helpless on the ground.

'Sir?'

Magorian's voice was weak and strained 'Y-yes boy? Abel, is that you?' Abel was Magorian's grandson, a spritely young foal.

'No, I'm sorry. I'm a student up at the castle. Lorcan Newt Scamader-'

'Newt Scamander? You are a relation?'

'His great-grandson.'

'Your great-grandfather was a friend of the centaurs, boy. Do you wish to follow in his footsteps?'

'Perhaps' Lorcan replied, unsure of what was coming next.

'I'm sure you see, I have not long left here. The fates have said it was coming for sometime. I knew when I went out the planets were aligned correctly.'

Lorcan looked sadly down at the centaur 'I can help you. I'll take you to the castle. They have medicine.'

'No child. It is not right to meddle in the ways of the fates. But please, wait here with me, when I am gone, take my body back to my people.'

Magorian's calm acceptance of his own death surprised Lorcan, but, he reflected, it was an attitude humans would do well to adopt.

'Yes.' he said. It did not take long, soon the warm eyes were cold and still, and Lorcan was carrying the great body through the woods, trying his utmost not to succumb to the tears forming behind his eyes. He knew from a map of the woods he had once seen that there was a clearing large enough for a centaur colony in the easterly most end of the woods, so this was where he headed. The dead weight of the corpse soon got the better of him however, and he regularly had to stop for a rest, lying Magorian down carefully.

At last, he found the clearing he had searched, and his assessment had been correct, in the middle of the wide space, a mare lay with her two sons, and other centaurs circulated, chattering worriedly, mostly about their missing leader, but when they saw Lorcan carrying the body, conversation dropped.

'MAGORIAN!' cried a tall, dark-coated centaur, rushing at Lorcan. 'You killed him! This boy has murdered Magorian!'

The other centaurs quickly rushed towards him. Lorcan dropped the corpse at their hooves.

'No! No! No!' one centaur cried. Others wept, but most were staring viciously at Lorcan.

'What did you do?' an authorative centaur stepped forward, pure hate and disgust in his eyes. 'How did a human boy kill a centaur so great as this?'

'I did not.' Lorcan spoke calmly, but tears ran down his face. 'I am the great grandson of Newt Scamander'- at the mention of this name the centaurs were suddenly silent, and looked at him, with curiosity now, not spite.- 'I am a friend of the centaurs. Magorian asked that I bring you his body.'

'He speaks the truth', a voice from the back of the heard cried. 'the stars have told me of a second ally of the centaurs, who would deliver dire news.' he turned to Lorcan. 'We would not usually accept your kind among us, but if Magorian chose to trust you, so do I'. The other centaurs made approving noises. 'We will take the body now. It will be buried tomorrow at dawn. You, and any other human that you trust, may attend the ceremony, however, if we feel you have bought an infidel into our midst, you will both suffer for it. Am I understood?' Lorcan nodded. 'Leave us now.', again he nodded, before turning and leaving for the lake.


	3. Chapter 3: By Invitation

A tiny, magical alarm clock sang quietly, signifying it was two 'o' clock in the morning.

'Raphi, Raphi' Lorcan whispered, shaking his friend.

'Alright. Gerroff me Lorc.'

In the small hours, the two boys dressed in silence, before sneaking down the spiralling steps of the tower, through the common room, and along the corridors of Hogwarts, climbing the changing staircases and soon they were in the entrance hall.

'Alohamora' Lorcan whispered, pointing his wand at the lock of the big double doors. The lock clicked, and the pair snuck through the slim opening.

'Remind me where we're going again?' Raphi asked.

'We're going to the funeral of a warrior centaur king. Any more questions?'

'No, of course, I totally get it now.'

'Good boy', Lorcan laughed, and patted his friend sarcasticly on the back.

Soon, they were at the forest clearing, where the centaurs stood in a solemn circle. The old centaur he had talked to the previous day stepped forward.

'Thank you for coming.'

'The pleasure is entirely ours. This is my companion, Raphi.'

'Ah, Raphael, pleased to meet you, I am Firenze.' the two shook hands. As they spoke, two young foals were digging the grave in the centre of the circle, and two otherswere carrying the body into the clearing. The circle parted to allow the pallbearers through, and Firenze signalled that they should be quiet, and turned to watch Magorian being lowered into the freshly dug grave, before the two foals, now weeping copiously, covered the corpse with dirt. One of the two looked strikingy similar to the dead man, this, Lorcan assumed, was Abel, burying his own grandfather. The ceremny was short, Magorian's son and heir, Adamo, made a short speech, and one or two older centaurs were allowed to reminisce for a while, but the sun was only just peeking over the horizon when the centaurs returned to their regular tasks, and the boys to their castle. The clock tower showed around 3.30am, but it was too far away to read clearly. Even as they snuck back in through the doors, it was too dark to see the outline of the woods they had come from.

Just as they mounted the stairs, however, a surge of light hit them, they gasped in horror. It was an oil lamp, held aloft by... Professor Longbottom. A tall, but not intimidating man, with a warm smile and happy eyes, and flecks of grey in his black hair, Professor Longbottom was the Herbology teacher.

'Sorry we... er...'

'Boys! What are you doing out at this hour?'. Though his voice was mock-stern, it was clear that the question was meant entirely seriously.

'We were...' Raphi mumbled.

Lorcan sensed that the truth was probably best, and interrupted 'We were going to a centaur funeral.'

'I'm sorry?' the professor laughed.

' leader of the centaur clan.'

'Ah, yes, Hagrid mentioned that...'

'Well, anyway, they er... they wanted us to come and so...'

'Boys, I don't know whether you're telling the truth' Lorcan and Raphi protested 'very few students have ever had a warm relationahip with the centaurs, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt this time. Do not expect such luck again, I could have been Umfort.' Gilbert Umfort, was, of course, the infamous Hogwarts caretaker, and the boys quaked at the thought. 'However, in accordance with school policy, I must take a few points from Ravenclaw'-the boys groaned-'five points from Ravenclaw, for disobedience, and ten points to Ravenclaw for being the first students I have known in my time here to be _invited_ to see the centaurs.'

Neither could believe their luck, but they weren't going to stick around to let the professor change his mind. They raced back to bed, and slept in their clothes.


	4. Chapter 4: A Question of Quidditch

The next day, Sunday, was Lysander's very first Quidditch match, and the first of the year, against Gryffindor. It was generally expected that the Ravenclaws, who were well respected, but considered somewhat geeky and nerdy, would be easily beaten by the agile and skilled Gryffindor team. The Ravenclaws were up early, training, planning or simply to nervous and excited to sleep, all except Lorcan and Raphael, who lay in bed until past nine, before wandering down to breakfast. Still low on energy, both ate heartily, and were far bouncier when they walked back up to the Common Room. When questioned, by a third year girl,about their clothes, they simply claimed to have forgotten to change into their pyjamas, which, as both were already considered eccentric, was an explanation welcomed by their classmates, before hurrying upstairs to change. Lorcan picked out his best blue shirt and bootlace tie, in support of his house, and tied a blue and silver ribbon, which had fallen of his bedspread, around the base of his white top hat. The common room was almost empty now, and, with the last few others, the boys left for the Quidditch pitch. The wooden door had just creaked shut behind them, when Raphael sighed heavily.

'I've left my wand in there.'

'Do you really need it?'

'I might. Besides, I can't just leave it on the mantlepiece, which is where I know I put it.'

The pair turned to face the door, and the knocker twitched.

'You put me on the table, cut me, and deal me out, but would never eat me. What am I?'

All the knocker's riddles so far had been a breeze, someone in front had answered, the door had been held open by the previous person, as had happened this morning, or Lorcan had known the answer straight away, like last night, but this had him stumped.

'Butter?' Raphi asked, clearly just as confused as he was. The knocker gave a warm but creaky, chuckle.

'A stack of plates?' again the knocker laughed.

'We're missing the match. Lysander'll kill me. I promised him I'd be at the game.'

'Game!' Raphi cried. 'My dear door knocker, you're a deck of cards.'

The door knocker rocked to one side, the lock clicked, and the common room was open.

Raphi grabbed his wand from the marble mantlepiece, and together they ran downstairs. Just as the whistle was blown, they sat down at the back of the stands, and Lorcan caught his brother's eye, and saw him smiling.

The team hit the air, the balls were out, and the game began. The three chasers, Lysander, a third year Lorcan didn't recognise, and a Ravenclaw prefect, Jamie Blackburn, were already honing in on the quaffle, but the two Gryffindor beaters, both well-built sixth or even seventh years, were batting bludgers in every direction. Lysander narrowly dodged one, but no such luck for the third year, who was hit hard in the small of her back. She sank a few feet in the air, oohing and aahing at the pain, but quickly zoomed back up, more determined than ever. The beaters looked very pleased with themselves, through the chasers' temporary distraction, their team had won the quaffle, and were about to shoot. As the ball flew through the air, the tension was palpable, everyone held their breath. With a woosh, the Ravenclaw keeper sped in front of the hoops, just blocking the goal. The Ravenclaws cheered and clapped, but the Gryffindor stand was looking downcast. Before he had time to bask in the adoration of his peers, the keeper had already thrown the ball back out, where it was caught neatly by a thrilled Lysander. The Gryffindors gasped as it soared through the middle hoop, and Lorcan and Raphael were hoarse from shouting and whooping. The lead bounced from team to team, once the game got going it was fast and dramatic. The beefier of the two Gryffindor beaters committed a clear foul, blagging Jamie Brackburn as he went for a goal, Lorcan had to explain to Raphael that this meant grabbing his broom tail to slow him down, causing Raphi to boo loudly. No more fouls were committed that game however, and it ran smoothly therein. Although to begin with there was no clear leader, soon Gryffindor were winning by a substantial margin. Now nearly a hundred points ahead, the Gryffindors clearly believed they had already won, when suddenly, Lorcan saw something gold bobbing just a few feet from his face.

'Raphi, its the snitch!'

'Where?'

'Just there, you see?' Raphi did see, and soon, so did both seekers. The tiny winged ball whizzed off, the two seekers now on its tail. The attention of the whole crowd now turned to this race, if the Gryffindor seeker caught the ball, they would win by a landslide, but if the Ravenclaw seeker beat him to it, his team would be victorious. Lorcan could have reached out and touchd the Gryffindor's broom tail. The suspense now reached its peak, as the ball shot up, and the two players directed their broom handles towards it. Now there were only inches in it, they both reached upwards and... the ball turned sharply in the air, now heading for the Gryffindor stand. Now the Ravenclaw team were at an advantage, their seeker was closer to the Gryffindor stand, and therefore the snitch, but the Gryffindor had a faster broom, and flew past. The Gryffindors cheered loudly, but suddenly a bludger flashed in front of the seeker's face, and he swerved to avoid it, leaving the Ravenclaw player to catch the snitch, before being hit with the bludger. The boy hit the floor, and the referee's whistle was blown.

'Ravenclaw wins. Now, the poor boy's unconscious! Someone go to the Hospital Wing, fetch Nurse Jeffreys!'

Several of the boys friends rushed inside, and a huddle formed around the boy, necks craning to see the injury.

'Let me through, let me through!', Nurse Jeffreys had arrived, and the crowd parted to let her examine him.

'Aah, yes, he's been knocked out. Of course I can treat him, he'll be right as rain in no time at all.'

Four of the boy's friends were then instructed to carry him through to the Hospital Wing, a limb each, and students hastened to let them through, gogging at the limp body. Lorcan spotted Lysander through the swarm, and grabbed his arm.

'You were great!'

'No, no, the seeker won us the match' Lysander replied in his famous 'faux modest' tone.

'For your first match, though, you played exceptionally well.'

'I wouldn't say exceptionally...'

'I would.' Lorcan laughed, tipping his hat to his brother. Lysander bowed, and then hurried off to join the other players.


	5. Chapter 5: Birthday Surprises

After the first Quidditch match, house rivalries were suddenly palpable. Behaviour in lesson improved ten-fold, everyone was sucking-up to this or that teacher, in an attempt to win house points. Christmas holidays came and went, and suddenly it was an unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon, in late February, and light snow dusted the tips of the castle's four towers. It would be Lorcan's twelfth birthday in just a few days, and of course his twins, but while Lysander had scarcely ceased to mention the day for nearly two weeks, Lorcan had said very little to anyone.

The day dawned, and Lorcan was woken by a smiling Raphi. 'Happy Birthday!' he cried, handing Lorcan a roll of yellowish paper, tied up with string. Lorcan sat up, wiped the sleep dust from his eyes, and pulled the strings. The paper unrolled neatly, revealing an A3 poster of Ziggy Stardust, aka David Bowie. It was an old tour poster, which Raphi explained he had found in a Muggle charity shop over the holidays. The two used Spellotape to attach it to the dorm wall, before going down to the common room to find Lysander. As predicted, Lysander sat, in a tall purple party hat, in his dressing gown, in the centre of a gaggle of friends and admirers. 'Excuse me, excuse me!' Lysander found his way through the crowd and came to hug his twin.

'Happy Birthday', they said simultaneously. Lysander handed Lorcan a book (Cornelius Fudge: A Hero Falls by Theodore Fidelio) and a box of Chocolate Frogs, while the beautifully wrapped box Lorcan bestowed on his brother contained a set of home-charmed playing cards, and a selection of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products. The other boys in Lorcan's dorm had clubbed together to get him a (clearly second-hand, but nevertheless appreciated) book of wizarding poems, entitled Vipertooths, Verse and Vice by Benvolia Prufrock. Eventually, Ravenclaw tower emptied, and they all trooped down to breakfast. Here, Lorcan and Lysander's family owl, Lakshmi, dropped three large parcels for each of them, which had been attached to her legs with long leather ties, and flew off, leaving a feather in Lorcan's pumpkin juice. On opening his packages, Lorcan discovered a stack of books and old editions of the Quibbler (his Granddad's old magazine, now out of print), another large box of chocolate frogs, and a lilac bowler hat with gold lining. His brother had received a book on Quidditch, a huge box of Every Flavour Beans, and a blue pinstriped silk shirt. Mr and Mrs. Weasley-Potter, friends of the family, had sent them each a pot of purple ink and a new quill, while their aunt Tilly, their dad's older sister, had sent a large cake, chocolate fudge with green icing. Raphi and Lorcan ceremonially cut off half the cake, took a slice and a handful of chocolate frogs, hid the rest under Lorcan's bed and then went off to sit by the lake, eating, laughing and throwing the occasional cake crumb to the Giant Squid. A girl, who they were sure was not a Ravenclaw, and appeared to be a second year, was sat nearby, alone. Suddenly, the girl, whose name was Lucy Weasley, felt a sharp knock to the back of her head. A chocolate frog had been catapulted at her by a now apologetic Raphi.

'I am so sorry' Raphi assured her, half-laughing. 'I was aiming for the squid, honestly.'

'Its ok.', mouth full as she had already bitten the head off the chocolate frog.

'Um… We noticed you were on your own. You wouldn't like to come and sit with us?' Lorcan asked.

Soon, Lucy was sat with the two boys, talking and chattering.


	6. Chapter 6: 6th Year

I am now skipping forward 5 years, to 6th year, because I can. Content M, to be on the safe side.

Lorcan Scamander-Lovegood was 17 years and four hours old. He woke up, and pulled his long hair back into a messy bun. Lorcan's best friend of three full years, Raphael Balewa, was already at the end of his bed. In his arms was the traditional selection of Bowie ephemera that they exchanged annually. Evidence of this ritual was to be found all over the dormitory, posters lined the walls, and old record sleeves were scattered under both their beds. Lysander, Lorcan's brother, was already in the common room, most likely with a large group of admirers. There was a quiet knock at the door, and Lorcan got up to open it. Also in his pyjamas, standing in the doorway, was Lorcan's boyfriend, a tall, handsome Hufflepuff named Tomothy Leeward who pecked him lightly on each cheek, and presented him with three large bottles of butterbeer.

'I've got us a reservation at Puddifoots!'

Lorcan knew of course that he was joking; they had recently had a long group rand about the horrors of such places.

'Just kidding, but Lucy and Raphi and a few other 6th years have agreed to meet at the Hog's Head for a little celebration tonight. You game?'

Of course, they couldn't go to the Three Broomsticks, as this would no doubt be the location of choice for Lysander's birthday festivities. Over the years, a bubbling animosity had grown between the two groups, the sidelined, uncool, bookish Lorcanians and the popular, sporty, fashionable Lysanderists. Though the brothers themselves, though undeniably less close than they were upon their arrival at Hogwarts, maintained a civil relationship, their groups of friends couldn't have been more different. It was notable that, despite having a Ravenclaw at its epicentre, Lysander's group consisted mainly of Gryffindors and Slytherins, while Lorcan's was confined to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff.

At breakfast, Lorcan was pleased to find two boxes, a neatly wrapped cube and a small brown package, tied up with string, plonked heavily upon his plate. Delicately, he untied the string, and folded away the brown paper. Inside, was a hairpin, with a large gem on it, wrapped in a scrawled note from his mother:

_This was your Granddad's, I thought he'd want you to have it_

_Luna xxx_

_P.S. He always said it helped keep the Nargles away_

Lorcan slipped the pin into his hair, and tucked into a hearty breakfast, washed down with pumpkin juice and a few chocolate frogs, from the cube-shaped box, left there by his twin. On his way to lessons, he managed to stop his brother long enough to hand him a Skiving Snack Box, wrapped in old Daily Prophet pages. The lessons of the day were quite as normal, but Lorcan was barely concentrating, too excited for the end of the day. Finally, their last class was dismissed, and Lorcan, Lucy, Raphi, Tomothy and a handful of other close friends could sneak into Hogsmeade.

The Hog's Head was unusually quiet for a Friday evening, which suited Lorcan just fine. Tomothy bought him a pint of Firewhisky, and though it made him feel pleasantly light-headed, the taste of this first alcoholic drink was not especially appealing. Raphi and Lucy were making out in a corner, Lucy sipping her favourite cocktail, a potent combination of Knotgrass Mead, Dragon Belly Brandy and Pumpkin juice. Raphi, still only sixteen, clutched a bottle of, slightly tamer, Peachtree Fizzing Tea-87% Effervescence.


	7. Chapter 7: An Invaluable Experience

Lorcan woke up with a pounding headache, very glad it was a Saturday, and he wouldn't be required to stumble to Charms in this state.

He rolled out of bed, moaning something about never touching another drop of Firewhisky. He lay there for a while, before Raphi entered and obligingly pulled him up, sat him down in a small armchair in the corner of the dormitory, and handed him a glass of pumpkin juice and a piece of toast.

'You missed breakfast, mate.'

'Urgh?'

'You were asleep. Tomothy told me pumpkin juice might help with a hangover, so…'

'Urfgh…'

'Come on. You better recover quickly; we've got to revise for our potions test.'

Soon enough, Lorcan was sprawled across a bench in the common room, gangly legs hanging off the end, copying out notes on the Draft of Living Death.

Lorcan and Raphi spent the remainder of the day busy with revision, until they were called to Professor Flitwick's office.

'I wonder what this is about?' Lorcan mused aloud.

'Probably in trouble for last night…' Raphi replied, absent-mindedly.

When they reached the tiny room, built for a man of elf height, with purple curtains swaying around the door, and tiny fireflies in jars levitating all around, a grinning Flitwick greeted them.

'Do come in, boys, do come in. Don't look so worried! Good news!'

They sat down, the chairs they were indicated towards were spindly, and far too near the ground to be comfortable, but they politely did as they were told.

'Now! As some of the most talented students I have ever taught, you have been chosen to mentor some of the more difficult children coming into first year this year. I know that this will be difficult for you, on top of your NEWTs, but it will be an invaluable experience, and really help you develop as people.'


End file.
